Korn Ferry has completed its acquisition of UK-headquartered AMS from OMERS Private Equity, combining two major talent and organizational consulting businesses into a global platform with nearly 17,000 employees across more than 130 offices.
At closing, Korn Ferry paid approximately £473 million and $326 million in cash, which covered consideration to the sellers, repayment of AMS indebtedness and other transaction obligations. Korn Ferry also issued 3,118,628 shares of its common stock to the sellers.
The final consideration reflects the lock-box structure established under the acquisition agreement.
The combination significantly expands Korn Ferry’s ability to provide clients with consulting and operational talent services across the employee lifecycle.
Korn Ferry’s existing capabilities span organizational strategy, leadership and professional development, assessment, executive search and talent acquisition. AMS adds substantial technology-enabled recruitment and workforce capabilities delivered through long-term contracted relationships with large enterprise clients.
The combined organization is positioning itself around the idea that workforce strategy and organizational performance are increasingly interconnected.
AMS brings particularly deep operational capabilities for organizations seeking to manage large-scale hiring, talent acquisition and workforce transformation programs, complementing Korn Ferry’s advisory and consulting expertise.
The expanded platform also gives Korn Ferry broader geographic reach, increased industry coverage and additional opportunities to provide multiple services to existing clients.
For AMS customers, the transaction provides access to Korn Ferry’s wider portfolio of organizational consulting, leadership, talent and transformation capabilities.
For Korn Ferry, acquiring AMS adds recurring, technology-enabled talent solutions that can potentially deepen relationships with major global corporations and create a more integrated offering spanning strategy through execution.
The transaction also substantially increases Korn Ferry’s employee base and operational footprint, making integration execution an important factor in realizing the expected benefits.
Korn Ferry will need to combine the two organizations while retaining key employees, maintaining important client relationships and integrating complementary services without disrupting existing delivery.
The completed acquisition comes as companies increasingly reassess workforce structures, leadership requirements and talent strategies in response to artificial intelligence, automation, changing skills requirements and continued pressure to improve organizational productivity.
By combining Korn Ferry’s consulting platform with AMS’s scaled talent operations, the company is aiming to capture a larger share of that transformation spending.
